At this year's Microsoft Ignite The company has once again proven that it takes the development of its endpoint management solutions seriously. With the announcement of Pre- and post-install actions in Intune Enterprise App Management A feature was presented that should fill an important gap in the range of functions. But what exactly is behind these new opportunities, and how are they changing the way IT teams deliver applications?
The most important things in brief
- New feature: Pre and post-install actions for greater flexibility in Intune
- Gap closed: Intune approaches third-party tools like Patch My PC
- future: Further features such as uninstall actions and file support are expected
Make app management more efficient? We'll show you how to cleverly use pre- and post-install actions and are also your other partner for software packaging and distribution.
1. Intune Enterprise App Management reduces gap with Patch My PC and Robopack
that Intune Enterprise App Management serves as a central platform for companies to efficiently deploy and manage applications. Until now, the tool was inferior to leading solutions such as Patch My PC and Robopack in terms of flexibility and range of functions — in particular as a single license outside of Intune Suite.
However, with the introduction of pre and post-install actions, Microsoft is closing a significant gap with these providers. This new feature allows IT administrators to automate specific tasks before and after installing applications, significantly expanding Intune's functionality and reducing the use of additional tools.
2. What are pre- and post-install actions?
The new features in Intune Enterprise App Management offer IT administrators the ability to define pre-install and post-install actions. These actions extend the classic installation and uninstall commands and enable even more precise and transparent control of application deployment.
Pre-install actions
Pre-install actions include all tasks that are performed before an application is actually installed on the device. Examples include:
- Checking system resources, such as disk space or operating system version.
- Stop running processes that could interfere with installation.
- Create backups of existing configuration files.
Post-install actions
After a successful installation, post-install actions can be executed to complete the application life cycle. These include:
- Start the application automatically to make sure it works as expected.
- Adjust specific configuration parameters, such as proxy settings or access rights.
- Run scripts to validate the installation.
These features offer a high level of flexibility, as IT administrators can integrate specific processes directly into the installation workflow. This reduces the need for separate tools or workarounds that were previously used for these tasks.
3. Benefits of pre- and post-install actions
The introduction of pre- and post-install actions provides a variety of benefits for IT administrators and companies when it comes to software distribution.
Increased flexibility
With pre and post-install actions, specific processes can be integrated directly into the installation workflow. This makes it possible to:
- Automate preparatory measures such as ending processes or checking system requirements.
- Perform follow-up tasks, such as validating the installation, without additional tools or manual steps.
Reduce workarounds
Before implementing these features, IT administrators were often forced to create additional baselines or separate scripts to meet specific requirements. Especially with software that automates the patch management As a goal, this creates an excess of manual effort. With pre and post-install actions, this is superfluous, as all necessary actions can be defined directly in the context of the application installation.
Improved reliability
By being able to run scripts or commands for post-install actions, IT teams can ensure that applications are working properly and that all relevant parameters are correctly configured. This reduces errors and ensures smooth operation.
More efficient workflows
Automating pre- and post-install actions saves time and resources by minimizing manual intervention and streamlining the entire application deployment process.
“With pre and post-install actions, application delivery in Intune Enterprise App Management is closing up a good deal with the competition — Microsoft continues to move in the right direction: more automation, less effort, higher reliability. ”
Thore Lenz - Managing Director SOFTTAILOR
4. Limitations and outlook
Despite the significant improvements, there are still restrictions that IT administrators should consider.
Current Limitations
Functional scope compared to third-party providers
While Microsoft is taking an important step with this innovation, some third-party patch and application management tools continue to offer more extensive features. For example, other platforms allow more detailed customization and more complex workflows.
Dependence on scripting skills
IT administrators still need in-depth knowledge of creating scripts in order to make optimal use of pre- and post-install actions. Without this knowledge, the potential of the new features may remain untapped.
User interface limitations
The configuration is currently carried out via the Intune admin center, which in some areas is not yet as intuitive as comparable solutions.
No integration of files
Another disadvantage of the new pre and post-install actions is the inability to integrate files directly into the installation process. Unlike other platforms that allow files to be uploaded and used, Intune requires administrators to continue using external sources or workarounds to provide configuration files or additional scripts. This limits flexibility and increases the effort required to adapt complex installation processes.
outlook
In recent years, Microsoft has continuously proven that they are constantly expanding and improving their endpoint management solutions. Future updates to Intune are expected to:
- will further expand the range of functions of pre- and post-install actions.
- Could introduce pre and post-uninstall actions.
- Enable actions to be taken when applications are updated or new versions of applications.
- Support your own files for configuration, licensing, or customization.
- Provide even greater integration with other Microsoft products.
- Still not improving the user interface and it remains complex and unintuitive
The latest developments show that Microsoft is determined to catch up in competition with third-party providers and provide a market-leading toolset for enterprise application management in the long term. We remain excited but continue to recommend at the moment Patch My PC or Robopack.
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5. conclusion
Even though there are still restrictions, Microsoft is showing with these innovations that they take the needs of companies and IT teams seriously. Expanding Intune Enterprise App Management with pre and post-install actions is a step in the right direction to make the platform more flexible and powerful. Companies that make early use of these functions can secure decisive advantages in the efficiency and security of their IT environment.
Since 2011, Thore has focused exclusively on endpoint management and endpoint security topics. Initially focused on software packaging and software distribution with Microsoft MECM/SCCM and Ivanti DSM, he is now a sought-after interlocutor when it comes to unified endpoint management, system hardening, patch management and endpoint protection. The focus is in particular on the Microsoft technologies Intune, Configuration Manager, Entra and Defender. Thore is co-founder of the “Endpoint Management” expert group at IAMCP e.V.
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